Win 7 plus XP

J

Just William

Member
I have PC with Windows 7. I also have a 200gb HD from a previous PC that is still intact as I took it out of the old PC ie a c: drive with Xp and all updates to Oct 2009.

Can I use Viryualbox and add the XP to my new PC? (ie without having to rebuild Win Xp?)

Just Willaim

PS I suppose I could Dual boot. Which is the best?
 
It's impossible to boot into a hard disk taken from another machine unless you first perform a repair install.

You'd have to move the disk to the new PC, boot from the XP cd, and perform a recovery install on the XP installation to fix all the driver incompatibilities. Afterwards, follow the instructions here to make the dual-boot between Windows 7 and Windows XP work (since repair-installing XP will let you boot into XP only): Installing XP After Vista - EasyBCD - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki
 
If the previous PC was an OEM purchased with XP pre-installed, then you will not be able to activate it on new hardware even if you try a repair install..
The EULA restricts its use to the original hardware, and MS will decline to validate it on a new box.
 
...but you can always call them and explain that you only have it installed on one physical device, and that the old PC is used no more.
 
Not with an OEM licence CG.
It's not yours it's the hardware's
A full retail can be ported between PCs and activated by phone, but an OEM dies with the hardware.

Addendum:

Only exception is if your mobo fries and you replace it like-for-like (no upgrade allowed)
 
Last edited:
Good point - that totally slipped my mind. When I last did this 6 or so years ago migrating from a OEM pc to a custom build, I called them and they let it through. Don't know if that was an oversight, if the XP license wasn't OEM, or what..... at the time I didn't know about all these complexities.

Or maybe I had said that I had only formatted and didn't mention the new PC? Can't remember, reallly.
 
When you install Windows, the box serial
aaaaa-bbbbb-ccccc-ddddd-eeeee
translates to a product key
wwwww-xxx-yyyyyyy-zzzzz
If you pay the reduced box-price for an OEM builder's licence
xxx is always "OEM", so they should be in no doubt on the phone what they're dealing with.
You must have caught a newbie or someone who was in a particularly generous mood.
I suppose it's always worth a try.
 
Many thanks CG & Terry60. My xp is OEM. I did load it in Virtualbox ( I have W7) and it ran ok but I knew I would have to register within 30 days. After reading your posts I took it off. It is also obvious I cannot dual boot either! I teach computing every week to retired people ( I am one of them! ) and most have XP. I need to keep in touch with XP to be able to answer their many and varied queries. I may try my luck with phoning Microsoft here in Australia. You never know!!! If anything comes of it I will post it.

Again, Many thanks.

Just William
 
Good luck, William :smile:

(And good work teaching computers to the elderly.. it's never to late in life to enjoy this modern miracle!)
 
If you have Win7 you should be able to use XP Mode. That is if you have a version that qualifies for it.

Download Windows XP Mode


At least check the site. If anything else you could still buy a XP Home OEM copy for $99 from NewEgg. Not sure how much longer they will have it since Microsoft is discontinuing the sale of XP soon. So if you decide to go that route it would be better to do it sooner rather than later.
 
Back
Top